Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project 2
Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project 2 is the second game in the Journeyman Project series created by Presto Studios. It was released in 1995 on three CD-ROMs for both Windows 95 and Macintosh. It expands upon many plot elements seen in the first game, such as giving the main character, Agent 5, a name and a personality, and introduces many new elements. The game also features improved graphics, with full 3-D animation and full-motion video featuring live actors. It is the only game in the series to feature accurate recreations of actual historical locations. =Plot= The game begins shortly after the end of the first game. Earth is now a member of the Symbiotry of Peaceful Beings, the government has admitted to the existance of the Temporal Security Agency, and Gage Blackwood, Agent 5 of the TSA, is now a decorated hero after stopping Dr. Elliot Sinclair's attempt to sabotage history and assassinate the delegate from the Symbiotry. However, before life can return to normal for Gage, he is suddenly visited by his future self, who traveled back ten years in time to enlist his help. In the future, Gage is framed for changing history, and the only one who can clear his name is himself. Future Gage is apprehended by another member of the TSA, and present Gage is pulled forward into the future using the Jumpsuit, a portable time machine. Now in the future, Gage must try to clear his name by visiting the four locations where history has been affected and find out who framed him and why. =Gameplay= The gameplay is similar to that of the first game. Using a first-person perspective, the player uses directional arrows- look left, look right, look up, look down, move forward- to move, and can click and drag on objects. The Biochip interface returns, though now there are more biochips, such as a chip that can scan an area for evidence of historical tampering. Like the first game, players are given a score based how many puzzles are solved. However, using hints subtracts 50 points from the overall score, and a glitch in the game prevents players from obtaining a perfect score. There are two modes of play in Buried in Time. Adventure mode is the default mode, and Walkthru mode is designed for novice players. Walkthru mode simplifies some puzzles or removes them entirely, and occasionally helps players along with free hints. =Locations= There are five major areas of the game. The four historical locations are actually future Gage's assignments- as a member of the historical research branch of the TSA, it was his mission to document these locations for research purposes. Gage Blackwood's Apartment The main hub of the game, this is Gage's home ten years in the future. It features nature-themed architecture and futuristic gizmos and toys. There are a few puzzles here, but mostly this area is used as a means to learn more about the overall plot of the game. Here, players can learn the details about future Gage's trial and pick up hints about his framing. Whenever a player uses the Recall feature of the Jump Biochip, they are returned here. Chichen Itza A recreation of the ancient Maya site located in the Yucatán Peninsula in present-day Mexico. Gage's mission was to observe the site as it was when it was still inhabited and record information about Mayan culture and ritual. Here, players explore a temple filled with deadly traps and use knowledge of Mayan rituals to search for evidence of historial tampering. Chateau Gaillard A recreation of Richard I's castle that was taken by Phillip II in 1203. Gage's mission was to observe how the attacking forces conquered the castle. Players explore this castle on the day that it fell, and must be careful to avoid being seen by guards, as they will all attack and kill Gage if they see him. Leonardo Da Vinci's Studio and Workshop An interpretation of what one of Leonardo's studios might have looked like, and is highly inspired by his inventions and designs. Gage's mission was to document the art and inventions in the studio. In this area, players can observe many of Leonardo's works in progress and even tinker with some of his inventions. Amarax Station/Farnstein Laboratory The only completely fictional "historical" location. This area is a space station orbiting Saturn owned by an eccentric artist and scientist named Kenneth Farnstein. Farnstein is accredited as the inventor of the technology that eventually became the Biochip, and is rumored to have created true sentient artificial life. This claim is unfounded, however, as Farnstein perished in a meteor shower that destroyed the station, and when it was finally discovered by a salvage crew, the computer system had long since run out of power and any programs within it had been deleted along with it. Gage's mission was to explore the station shortly after it was destroyed and try to find any evidence of an artificial intelligence before the station's power reserves die out. In this area, players must be wary of the Jumpsuit's oxygen reserves, as the major hazard is that much of the station is in vacuum. Category: Adventure games Category: Point-and-click adventure games Category: First-person adventure games Category: PC games